


Never Really Had a Doubt

by lupus



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Birthdays, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, POV Alternating, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2016-05-04
Packaged: 2018-06-06 07:11:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6744553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lupus/pseuds/lupus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack has a surprise for Bitty for his birthday. It's Beyoncé related. There's fluff and maybe some happy crying and overall sappiness. That's it. That's the fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Really Had a Doubt

**Author's Note:**

> OK SO LISTEN  
> SO halo came on while i was driving and then i remembered the formation world tour and was like "u kno bitty's gonna be there somehow" and that's how this fic was born.  
> Honestly this is like....disgustingly sweet and yeah i listened to halo on repeat writing it  
> (not beta read! let me know if you see any glaring mistakes....esp w the hockey stuff i am not well versed in the world of hockey...also the french stuff too I took German as my language in school lmao)
> 
> credit for these lovely characters goes to ngozi and you can read the comics [here!](http://omgcheckplease.tumblr.com/)

            Bitty was excited that the Falconers made it to the playoffs, even if it meant Bitty couldn’t spend his birthday with Jack. The Sharks were in Providence this week, so at least they were still in the same time zone. Jack had an actual game on Bitty’s birthday, so other than an early morning birthday call Bitty hadn’t had much chance to talk to Jack that day.

            A package had come from Jack earlier in the week and inside the standard UPS shipped box was a nicely wrapped present with a note on it.

 

            _Bits,_

_Don’t open this until we skype after my game on your birthday. I want to watch you open it. :)_

_Love you,_

_Jack_

 

            The note, of course, made Bitty want to know exactly what was inside Jack’s present that much more.

 

 **EB:** you’re such a little shit I want to know what you got me right now!!!

 **JZ:** :)

 **JZ:** you’ll see. it’ll be worth the wait

 **EB:** yeah well nothing can beat Betsy 2.0

 **JZ:** you say that now…

 **EB:** JACK LAURENT ZIMMERMANN STOP PLAYING GAMES

 

            Ransom and Holster has promised to get Bitty “beyond plastered” since it was his 21st and all, but all Bitty wanted to do was go to the sports bar the next street over and watch his boyfriend play. Lardo had picked up on Bitty and Jack – either that or Shitty had told her – but the rest of the guys were still fairly clueless.

            It was a good game – Chowder was pretty distressed over who to root for – and the Falcons won 3-2. Bitty had just enough to drink that by the time the game was over, he agreed to continue bar hopping with Lardo, Holster and Rans, and the rest of the team who were 21.

            Which is how Bitty did indeed get plastered.

            Not like, totally blackout puking plastered, but definitely “ _it’s my 21 st birthday_” justifiably plastered. Ransom and Holster were proud of themselves. Lardo outdrank everyone.

           The thing about going out on your 21st is that _everyone_ wants to buy you drinks. Everyone. So Bitty drank a little too much and then a little more and then once he was good and drunk he gave the excess drinks to Lardo. Then Bitty drunk texted Jack. A lot.

When they finally got home he drunk called Jack as well.

            “Happy birthday Bits,” Jack said, sounding soft and fond on the other end. Gosh Bitty loved this boy.

            “I love you so much. Your voice is so nice. You looked _so good_ on that ice tonight,” Bitty mumbled into the phone.

            Jack’s laugh rumbled in his ear.

            “’m serious!” Bitty exclaimed. “Then there was that shot of you at the end when you guys won, and you took your helmet off and you were all sweaty and you looked so good. Made me think of that time I visited you over spring break and I went to your game and then we came back to yours and I got you all sweaty again, mmmmm _Jack_.”

            “Fuck, _Bitty_ ,” Jack gasped and Bitty smirked. He loved how riled up he could get Jack, even just over the phone.

            “I wanna open my present now,” Bitty murmured. “I wish you were my present, but I was promised a good one this year so I guess it’ll do.”

            “How bout tomorrow morning when you’re nice and clearheaded and we can skype?”

            “Ughhhh,” Bitty groaned. “First you made me wait all day now you’re making me wait again?”

            “It’ll be worth it,” Jack said, laughter in his voice. “I promise.”

            “You’re worth it,” Bitty said sincerely.

            “I love you,” Jack replied softly.

            “Love you too, ya big dope. Now, I’m gonna touch myself to the thought of you lookin’ all sweaty on the ice and then go to sleep,” Jack didn’t like doing anything sexual with Bitty when one or the other of them were drunk. Even phone sex. Knowing Jack’s past, Bitty got it and didn’t push. It was kinda romantic – in the most sexually frustrating way possible. “I’ll skype you as soon as I come back to the land of the live tomorrow. Love you.”

            “Je t'aime aussi,” Jack murmured.

 

* * *

 

 

            “Morning, babe,” Jack said on the other side of his computer screen.

            “Morning honey!” Bitty exclaimed, then held up Jack’s present. “Can I open it now?!”

            “It’s honestly not fair how rarely you get hungover,” Jack said, noticing his boyfriend’s chipper mood. “But of course.”

            “I down Gatorade and leftover baked goods before I go to sleep,” Bitty said. “I don’t know how or why but for me, it works. Okay, let’s do this!”

            Bitty tore at the paper excitedly, and could see Jack grinning at him in his peripheral.

            Inside the wrapped box was a “Beyhive Boys” shirt, one of the official merch shirts from Beyoncé’s Formation World Tour.

            “Oh my gosh, Jack!” Bitty exclaimed. “I love it, I wanted to order one myself but lord they’re _forty-five_ dollars and I can’t quite justify that much for a t-shirt but –”

            “Bitty, look under the shirt,” Jack said calmly, a knowing glint in his eye.

            Bitty carefully pulled the shirt out of the box to see two printed pieces of paper at the bottom of the box.

            They were...holy shit they were –

            “ _You got us tickets to a Beyoncé Concert?”_ Bitty nearly screeched. They weren’t just any tickets. They were front row. By the runway by the looks of it. “Jack, baby, _holy shit._ How did you get these? How much were these? _Lord_ , Jack you did not have to spend this much money on me I bet these were astronomical.”

            “You…you like it though, right?” Jack asked sounding unsure.

            “Darling, _of course_ ,” Bitty said. “Gosh, of course. I…I love it. It’s the best birthday present ever, oh my gosh. Thank you.”

            “The concerts in Foxborough, Massachusetts on June 3,” Jack explained. “It’s about a 30-minute drive from Providence, so obviously we can stay here. And I was, um, thinking, if you want to come stay at my place for a couple weeks after the end of the semester and until the concert that would be cool too. If not, I can buy you a flight up here from Atlanta. I don’t really now how much I’ll be around, depends on how far we go in the finals. But yeah. It’s…it’s up to you.”

            “Of course I’d love to come stay with you!” Bitty said excitedly. “You better get ready though, Zimmermann because the next time I see you, I’m giving you a hug and a big ole wet smacking kiss that will put Shitty’s hugs and kisses to shame.”

 

* * *

 

 

            Having Bitty in his apartment for more than a weekend was like a dream come true for Jack. The Falconers hadn’t made it into the final four, but Jack was okay with that. They’d had a great season and there was still plenty of time and opportunities for that.

            He was mostly doing post season training and workouts now, so his workload was lighter and he had more days off.

            Jack admittedly loved his apartment. His mother had helped him pick it out and the large windows, exposed brick, and deep brown hardwood floors made the place feel warm and homey. But, god, having Bitty there made it feel like _home._

            Bitty had stayed at Samwell for graduation and then some more after for “one last hurrah” with their friends who were graduating. He’d been at Jack’s for about a week and a half now and Jack dreaded Bitty having to go home. The concert was that night and Bitty would fly home Sunday, two days after. He’d really settled in Providence and had good friends on the team but when Bitty was there, everything just felt complete.

            In preparation for the concert, Bittle had been blasting Beyoncé _all week._

            “You need to learn these songs by heart if we’re gonna be front row, Jack!” Bitty had exclaimed.

            To be fair, just by being Bitty’s boyfriend, Jack pretty much knew all of the songs by heart at this point. His favorite was still Halo. He listened to it a lot when he missed Bitty, not that he’d let Bitty know just how much he loved that song.

            Bitty looked good for the concert. He wore the shirt Jack bought him and tight, black skinny jeans. Jack almost wished for a return of those tiny red shorts he’d worn earlier in the week, but he knew if Bitty wore them Jack wouldn’t be able to keep his hands to himself, and they’d be in public. Around people. Lots of people.

            Bitty was pretty much vibrating with excitement, chattering off a mile a minute the entire ride there. He went silent though once they got into the arena, eyes going wide. Bitty was quiet for a while after that, seemingly taking everything in, even after they took their seats. Jack could still feel like excitement rolling off him though.

“We’re gonna be so close to her that she’s gonna be _sweating_ on us, Jack,” Bitty marveled, looking at the runway part of the stage where their seats were.

            Jack wanted so much to just hold Bitty’s hand, but he settled for a subtle squeeze instead.

            Much to Jack’s relief, no one noticed or approached him. Maybe he’d just gotten lucky, or maybe anyone who would’ve recognized him didn’t think that _Jack Zimmermann_ of all people would be at a Beyoncé concert.   

            The opening acts were good, even if Jack didn’t know them. Bitty knew a bit of each of the artist’s music and Jack got most of his enjoyment from the openers by watching Bitty. Then Beyoncé came out, and even though Jack didn’t love her near as much as Bitty did (he wasn’t sure if anyone could), he was still blown away by seeing someone so amazing and radiant with that much stage presence in person. Bitty was dancing and singing along and any time Beyoncé got within ten feet of them, Jack was legitimately afraid that Bitty may pass out.

            Jack was waiting for one song though, and was really hoping she’d sing it, but as it got closer and closer to the end of the concert Jack wasn’t sure if it would be on the setlist or not.

            Then Jack heard the telltale opening and piano and had to catch his breath.

            Beyoncé was on the runway of the stage, back in their proximity again but when Jack looked over to Bitty, Bitty was staring right at him, eyes glistening a little in the stage lights. Beyoncé started singing and fireworks were going off, illuminating Bitty’s face and Jack’s heart had never been so full in his entire life.

            Thinking to himself, _closet be damned_ , he reached out for Bitty.

            “C’mere, Bits,” he said, and pulled Bitty close, arranging them so that Jack was wrapped around Bitty from the back. Beyoncé was singing their song and Jack was there with Bitty and at this point he didn’t care if they were seen. He and Bitty sang along and at one point Jack had to bury his face in the crook of Bitty’s neck to process how overwhelmed he was with love and happiness in that moment. He pulled his face back so he could kiss Bitty’s cheek and felt a little bit of moisture, so he backed off to make sure Bitty was okay.

            “M’fine, put your arms back around me,” Bitty protested. “I’m just…I’m really happy.”

            Jack laughed a watery laugh and kissed Bitty’s cheek again. “Me too.”

            “I love you so much Jack,” Bitty whispered. “Thank you for the best night and birthday present ever.”

            “Here’s to many more birthdays, eh?” Jack couldn’t help the hopefulness that seeped into his voice.

            “Oh, baby,” Bitty sighed, and pulled Jack’s arms tighter around him. “Here’s to _all_ the birthdays.”

**Author's Note:**

> [this](http://assets.teenvogue.com/photos/572145eef401c82f34435222/master/w_434,h_651,c_limit/ChFRavVWMAAFC0k.jpg) has the shirt that jack gets bitty  
>  also the date of the concert in Massachusetts is an actual date lmao + according to setlists posted online "Halo" is the last song in the setlist and [here's](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7TDKRtIZEM) a video of her performing it in miami which i used for inspo :)
> 
> come say hi on [tumblr](http://biharley.tumblr.com/), drop me prompts, and scream about jack/bitty + check please (as well as many other things) with me!!


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